David Haye has predicted that both Tony Bellew and Tyson Fury will need to massively mix up their boxing styles if both fighters are to emerge victorious from their respective super fights with Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder.

Haye and Bellew have shared a bitter rivalry in recent years, after Bellew relinquished his cruiserweight world title to step up to heavyweight, and twice face off against the former heavyweight world champion.

Despite coming into both fights as a huge underdog, the 'Bomber' managed to emerge victorious from both fights, first stopping Haye in the 11th round after his opponent tore his Achilles, before again stopping him in the fifth in the rematch.

Having now returned to his old cruiserweight hunting ground, however, Bellew is set to face WBA, WBO, WBC and IBF world champion Oleksandr Usyk - a man who has dominated the cruiserweight division in his first 15 professional fights.

With many predicting the showdown will be the toughest test of Bellew's career to date, Haye has spoken on how he sees his old nemesis faring, and what he will have to do to once again overcome the long odds against him.

"The fact he was able to deck me as many times as he did, I can attest to his punch power.

"When people are riding high their confidence is moving in the right direction. He's not been bashed up, he's coming off a nice string of victories. Since he moved up to the cruiserweight division, his whole career has fallen into place. Maybe that's the weight that he should have always boxed at.

"But he is an underdog. He's fighting someone who has never lost, is a natural big man, a southpaw, very tricky. But anything is possible. I would have bet anything that he couldn't beat me, and he somehow pulled it off."

Haye has also spoken on another fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury and what the Wythenshawe-born man will have to do claim the WBC title from American knockout merchant Deontay Wilder.

"Tyson will have to completely reinvent himself," Haye told The Evening Standard, as per Boxing Scene.

"He will have to offer something new.

"But even though this is a big risk, the rewards outweigh that, and you just can't write off Fury. He is 6ft 9in, 19 stone and has an unbeaten record. You simply can't dismiss that, and while he is in the ring, he has a chance.

"Wilder came over to work with me before I fought Klitschko in 2011, and then before a proposed fight against Fury, which never happened. He has one hell of a punch. That is why he has knocked out 39 of his 40 opponents.

"In every round, I had to be on my toes. I had to be so switched on because he is very heavy-handed even by heavyweight standards. That is why his knockout ratio is surely the best of any heavyweight champion in history.

"He is hard to read because he doesn't do very much conventionally. On TV it looks a bit weird, but I can assure you, that is very awkward and difficult.

"Fury is also very unorthodox. He doesn't fight like a traditional heavyweight. He has quick feet, good reflexes and is nimble for such a big man. I've never seen him set about anybody in a fight. He dances around the ring for a couple of rounds, messes about, flicks his jab our and waits for his opponent to get tired. Then he puts some punches together and they fall over.

"That won't happen against Wilder who will be hunting him down from the centre of the ring. Deontay won't run out of steam either. If Fury tucks up against the ropes like he has done in prior fights, it will be effectively over. Wilder just punches straight through you.

"Tucking up doesn't work because he punches so quickly - and that is how Fury defends. So Tyson is going to need to slip Wilder's punches and counter him and that is not his style. But maybe the time he had out of the ring before his comeback this year will help him make the changes he needs."

Report author of article

DISCLAIMER

This article has been written by a member of the GiveMeSport Writing Academy and does not represent the views of
GiveMeSport.com or SportsNewMedia. The views and opinions expressed are solely that of the author credited at the top of this article.
GiveMeSport.com and SportsNewMedia do not take any responsibility for the content of its contributors.

Want more content like this?

Like our GiveMeSport Facebook Page and you will get this directly to you.